As you may know, the front plate bracket design drills two holes into the bumper. The dealer pre-installed the front plate bracket when the receive the cars, so I had no choice but to accept a front plate. Is there any solution to plugging up the holes?

 

Acura online store : 2016 ilx front bumper (2) parts


I have the same problem. I ran without the front plate for a while and just couldn't get over the holes so I reinstalled the front plate. I can only think of 2 solutions:

• Auto body shop filling holes and repainting entire front bumper
• Purchase new bumper

A body shop would likely fill it with a putty of some sort, sand the entire bumper, and then repaint. If you purchase a new bumper, it will need to be painted as well (presumably.) The main question then becomes which is more cost effective?

 

My older Acuras all have pre-existing bolts in the lower grill that were basically hidden. It seems like crappy engineering to just drill holes in a pristine bumper. I noticed there is bumperplugs.com which seems to have many pre-painted plugs, however I don't see the color I would need (catalina blue pearl). I suppose I may just put the front plate on when it arrives. First time in my life doing this.

 

I just checked that website out, do you think the Honda plugs are exactly the same circumference? What about finding a similar color? They're so small that even a close shade of blue would probably be unnoticeable and a good compromise between holes or plates. I know the new Honda Civic has a color called Aegean Blue Pearl that looks strikingly close to our Catalina Blue Pearl, but it's so new that it looks like they don't have it either. I may consider buying Vivid Blue Pearl.

 

There are 3 colors that are close resemblance to our Catalina Blue Pearl, but without the sparkled finish. Dyno Blue, Fiji Blue Pearl, and Vivid Blue Pearl. I will dig more to decide which I think is the closest shade.

 

last I heard the ILX has much bigger holes that standard bumper holes, so the bumperplugs won't work, unless they came out with bigger bumper plugs, because it won't cover the whole hole. If anybody has more info on this, then please correct me.

 

Just to be my usual spoilsport, consider this:


With the holes in the bumper but no front plate (in a state that requires plates)you can argue "plate fell off, I haven't had time to put it back" or some such story.


With no holes, you can say "dealer didn't put the bracket on, I have one on order but it isn't here yet" which is actually a true event when the dealer damaged my bumper, put a new one on but didn't put the plate back. I actually had the work order in my glovebox showing that the part was ordered.


With the bumper plugs you can't argue either of those and you may end up with a violation.


Remember that "no plate" is a completely legitimate reason to pull you over and to see what you are up to. In theory, your car could be towed and inventoried (although you would really have to give the cop a ration of s**t for him/her to do that)

 

I have already contacted bumperplugs.com about a set of plugs, but the holes that are drilled for the bracket are too large in diameter. I believe they are 1in wide.

Only solution I have found is to either get the holes filled, buy and paint a new bumper, or leave the plate on.

 

I understand the risk of not having front plates. I've been driving for 20 years without front plates. Luckily all my older cars didn't require drilling holes to mount the plate. In CA, the worst that will happen if you get stopped for the front plate is a fix-it ticket. I've driven past numerous police cars over the years and none of them ever looked at me twice. I'm also older and don't fit the demographic of "gangbanger" type or trouble maker.